The directors present the strategic report for the year ended 31 May 2025.

The year to 31 May 2025 has been another profitable year for DSF. This has been achieved through a focus on supplying high quality products, diversifying into new markets and capitalising upon DSF’s technical expertise.

The company's operations expose it to a variety of financial risks that include the effects of currency risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and interest rate risk. The company has in place a risk management programme that seeks to limit the adverse effects on the financial performance of the company.

(i) Currency risk

The company is exposed to currency risk as a result of its operations. Currently the company operates a natural hedge with specific hedging on large forward contracts.

(ii) Credit risk

The company has implemented policies that require appropriate credit checks on potential customers before sales are made.

(iii) Liquidity risk

The company actively maintains a mixture of long-term and short-term debt finance that is designed to ensure the company has sufficient available funds for operations and planned expansions.

The Company is seeing a slow down in demand particularly within container glass but still has a strong order book in many areas until 2026. As such the Directors are confident that the Company’s operating profit will continue into 2026. To emphasise this, significant investment is being undertaken to increase the business’ capacity with a new £3m automatic hydraulic press being installed in the Autumn of 2025 to further drive the Company’s growth and ability to be a technical world leader.

The directors consider that the company's key performance indicators are those that communicate the financial performance and strength of the company as a whole, being turnover, gross margin, EBITDA, weekly sales orders by value, weekly tonnes produced by route, on time delivery performance as a percentage of all deliveries, absolute scrap value and cash headroom.

On behalf of the board

The directors present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 31 May 2025.

The principal activities of the company are the manufacture of refractory products for use in the glass industry and other high temperature industrial applications and the processing of minerals.

The results for the year are set out on page 7.

Ordinary dividends were paid amounting to £988,500. The directors do not recommend payment of a final dividend.

The directors who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

The company carries out its own research and development projects to improve and extend its product range.

In accordance with the company's articles, a resolution proposing that Hart Shaw LLP be reappointed as auditor of the company will be put at a General Meeting.

The directors are responsible for preparing the annual report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the directors have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law, the directors must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the company and of the profit or loss of the company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:

• select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

• make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and

• prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the company will continue in business.

The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

So far as each person who was a director at the date of approving this report is aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the company’s auditor is unaware. Additionally, the directors individually have taken all the necessary steps that they ought to have taken as directors in order to make themselves aware of all relevant audit information and to establish that the company’s auditor is aware of that information.

This report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions applicable to companies entitled to the medium-sized companies exemption.

We have audited the financial statements of DSF Refractories & Minerals Limited (the 'company') for the year ended 31 May 2025 which comprise the statement of comprehensive income, the balance sheet, the statement of changes in equity and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

• give a true and fair view of the state of the company's affairs as at 31 May 2025 and of its profit for the year then ended;

• have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

• have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of our audit:

• the information given in the strategic report and the directors' report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and

• the strategic report and the directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the strategic report or the directors' report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• certain disclosures of directors' remuneration specified by law are not made; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

As explained more fully in the directors' responsibilities statement, the directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud, is detailed below:

At the planning stage we identified areas of laws and regulations that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the financial statements from our general commercial and sector experience and through discussion with the directors and other management, as required by auditing standards. The potential effect of any laws and regulation on the financial statements can vary considerably. There are laws and regulations that directly affect the financial statements (e.g. the Companies Act) as well as many other operational laws and regulations where the consequences of non-compliance could have a material effect on amounts or disclosures in the financial statements. Owing to the size, nature and complexity of the organisation and the applicable laws and regulations to which it must adhere, the risk of material misstatement was deemed to be low, therefore the procedures performed by the audit team were limited to:

• Communicating identified laws and regulations at planning throughout the audit team to remain alert to any indications of non-compliance throughout the audit.

• Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims as well as non-compliance with laws and regulations.

• Reviewing minutes of Directors' meetings charged with governance.

• Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

• Review of legal fees and where necessary correspondence with solicitors and regulators.

Management override is the most likely way in which fraud might present itself and as such is inherently high risk on any audit. Management override, which may cause there to be a material misstatement within the financial statements, may present itself in a number of ways, for example:

• Override of internal controls (e.g., segregation of duties).

• Entering into transactions outside the normal course of business, especially with related parties.

• Presenting accounts on a going concern basis when they may not be.

• Fraudulent revenue recognition, including fictitious sales and sales being recorded in the wrong period.

• Presenting bias in accounting judgements and estimates, particularly ones that are key to the business.

In order to reduce the risk of material misstatement to an acceptable level, numerous audit procedures were performed including:

• Enquiries of management as to whether they had any knowledge of any actual or suspected fraud.

• Review of material journal entries made throughout the year as well as those made to prepare the financial statements.

• Reviewing the underlying rationale behind transactions in order to assess whether they were outside the normal course of business.

• Increased revenue substantive testing across all material income streams.

• Assessing whether management’s judgements and estimates indicated potential bias, particularly those disclosed as key in note 2 to the financial statements that are more susceptible to management bias.

Owing to the inherent limitations of an audit, there is an unavoidable risk that we may not have detected material misstatements in the financial statements, even though we have performed our audit in accordance with auditing standards. Furthermore, as with all audits, there is a higher risk of irregularities (especially those relating to fraud) being undetected, as these may involve the override of internal controls, collusion, intentional omissions and misrepresentations etc. We are not responsible for preventing non-compliance or fraud and therefore cannot be expected to detect all instances of such. Our audit was not designed to identify misstatements or other irregularities that would not be considered to be material to the financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the company and the company's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The profit and loss account has been prepared on the basis that all operations are continuing operations.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the provisions relating to medium-sized companies.

DSF Refractories & Minerals Limited is a private company, limited by shares and incorporated in Scotland. The registered office is 50 Lothian Road, Festival Square, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland, EH3 9WJ. The principal place of business is Friden, Newhaven, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0DX.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the company. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

This company is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this company, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The company has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements:

• Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;

• Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues’: Interest income/expense and net gains/losses for each category of financial instrument; basis of determining fair values; details of collateral, loan defaults or breaches, details of hedges, hedging fair value changes recognised in profit or loss and in other comprehensive income;

• Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Compensation for key management personnel.

The financial statements of the company are consolidated in the financial statements of DSF High Performance Materials Limited. These consolidated financial statements are available from its registered office, Friden, Newhaven, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0DX.

Atruet the time of approving the financial statements, the directors have a reasonable expectation that the company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus the directors continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the financial statements.

Turnover is recognised at the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for goods provided in the normal course of the business, and is shown net of VAT and other sales related taxes. The fair value of consideration takes into account trade discounts, settlement discounts and volume rebates.

Revenue from the sale of goods is recognised when the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the goods have passed to the buyer (usually on dispatch of the goods), the amount of revenue can be measured reliably, it is probable that the economic benefits associated with the transaction will flow to the entity and the costs incurred or to be incurred in respect of the transaction can be measured reliably.

Tangible fixed assets are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

Freehold land is not depreciated.

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is credited or charged to profit or loss.

At each reporting period end date, the company reviews the carrying amounts of its tangible assets to determine whether there is any indication that those assets have suffered an impairment loss. If any such indication exists, the recoverable amount of the asset is estimated in order to determine the extent of the impairment loss (if any). Where it is not possible to estimate the recoverable amount of an individual asset, the company estimates the recoverable amount of the cash-generating unit to which the asset belongs.

Stocks are stated at the lower of cost and estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell. Cost comprises direct materials and, where applicable, direct labour costs and those overheads that have been incurred in bringing the stocks to their present location and condition.

Cost is calculated using the first in, first out method.

At each reporting date, an assessment is made for impairment. Any excess of the carrying amount of stocks over its estimated selling price less costs to complete and sell is recognised as an impairment loss in profit or loss. Reversals of impairment losses are also recognised in profit or loss.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The company has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the company's balance sheet when the company becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset, with the net amounts presented in the financial statements, when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include debtors and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.

Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the company transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the company after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including creditors, bank loans and loans from fellow group companies, are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Derivatives, including interest rate swaps and forward foreign exchange contracts, are not basic financial instruments. Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value on the date a derivative contract is entered into and are subsequently re-measured at their fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognised in profit or loss in finance costs or finance income as appropriate, unless hedge accounting is applied and the hedge is a cash flow hedge.

Debt instruments that do not meet the conditions in FRS 102 paragraph 11.9 are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss. Debt instruments may be designated as being measured at fair value through profit or loss to eliminate or reduce an accounting mismatch or if the instruments are measured and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the company’s contractual obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

Equity instruments issued by the company are recorded at the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Dividends payable on equity instruments are recognised as liabilities once they are no longer at the discretion of the company.

The tax expense represents the sum of the tax currently payable and deferred tax.

The tax currently payable is based on taxable profit for the year. Taxable profit differs from net profit as reported in the profit and loss account because it excludes items of income or expense that are taxable or deductible in other years and it further excludes items that are never taxable or deductible. The company’s liability for current tax is calculated using tax rates that have been enacted or substantively enacted by the reporting end date.

Deferred tax liabilities are generally recognised for all timing differences and deferred tax assets are recognised to the extent that it is probable that they will be recovered against the reversal of deferred tax liabilities or other future taxable profits. Such assets and liabilities are not recognised if the timing difference arises from goodwill or from the initial recognition of other assets and liabilities in a transaction that affects neither the tax profit nor the accounting profit.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or fixed assets.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the company is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

Payments to defined contribution retirement benefit schemes are charged as an expense as they fall due.

The cost of providing benefits under defined benefit plans is determined separately for each plan using the projected unit credit method, and is based on actuarial advice.

The cost of plan introductions, benefit changes, settlements and curtailments are recognised as an expense in measuring profit or loss in the period in which they arise.

The net interest element is determined by multiplying the net defined benefit liability by the discount rate, taking into account any changes in the net defined benefit liability during the period as a result of contribution and benefit payments. The net interest is recognised in profit or loss as other finance revenue or cost.

Remeasurement changes comprise actuarial gains and losses, the effect of the asset ceiling and the return on the net defined benefit liability excluding amounts included in net interest. These are recognised immediately in other comprehensive income in the period in which they occur and are not reclassified to profit and loss in subsequent periods.

The net defined benefit pension asset or liability in the balance sheet comprises the total for each plan of the present value of the defined benefit obligation (using a discount rate based on high quality corporate bonds), less the fair value of plan assets out of which the obligations are to be settled directly. Fair value is based on market price information, and in the case of quoted securities is the published bid price. The value of a net pension benefit asset is limited to the amount that may be recovered either through reduced contributions or agreed refunds from the scheme.

Leases are classified as finance leases whenever the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to the lessees. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Assets held under finance leases are recognised as assets at the lower of the assets fair value at the date of inception and the present value of the minimum lease payments. The related liability is included in the balance sheet as a finance lease obligation. Lease payments are treated as consisting of capital and interest elements. The interest is charged to profit or loss so as to produce a constant periodic rate of interest on the remaining balance of the liability.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leases asset are consumed.

Government grants are recognised at the fair value of the asset received or receivable when there is reasonable assurance that the grant conditions will be met and the grants will be received.

Grants relating to an asset are recognised in income systematically over the asset's expected useful life. If part of such a grant is deferred it is recognised as deferred income rather than being deducted from the asset's carrying amount.

Transactions in currencies other than pounds sterling are recorded at the rates of exchange prevailing at the dates of the transactions. At each reporting end date, monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in foreign currencies are retranslated at the rates prevailing on the reporting end date. Gains and losses arising on translation in the period are included in profit or loss.

In the application of the company’s accounting policies, the directors are required to make judgements, estimates and assumptions about the carrying amount of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The estimates and associated assumptions are based on historical experience and other factors that are considered to be relevant. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

The estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimate is revised where the revision affects only that period, or in the period of the revision and future periods where the revision affects both current and future periods.

The estimates and assumptions which have a significant risk of causing a material adjustment to the carrying amount of assets and liabilities are as follows.

The year end stock valuation includes the absorption of costs that are required to bring inventories to their present location and condition.

In making this judgement, management has considered the detailed criteria set out for the measurement of inventories under FRS102 Section 13, with particular emphasis placed on the allocation of production overheads.

The whole of turnover is attributable to the principal activity of the company.

The average monthly number of persons (including directors) employed by the company during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

The number of directors for whom retirement benefits are accruing under defined contribution schemes amounted to 7 (2024 - 7).

The actual charge for the year can be reconciled to the expected charge for the year based on the profit or loss and the standard rate of tax as follows:

The net carrying value of tangible fixed assets includes the following in respect of assets held under finance leases or hire purchase contracts.

As permitted by the transitional provisions for FRS 102, the company has elected not to adopt a policy of revaluation of tangible fixed assets. On 1 January 1994, land and buildings were valued at depreciated replacement cost. Not further revaluations have been undertaken.

The following assets are carried at valuation. If the assets were measured using the cost model, the carrying amounts would be as follows:

The company has £295,657 (2024 - £308,730) of stock provision at the end of the period.

The bank loans and overdrafts are secured by;

A debenture creating a fixed and floating charge over the assets of DSF Holdings Limited and DSF Refractories & Minerals Limited.

A cross guarantee between DSF High Performance Limited and DSF Refractories & Minerals Limited.

A legal first charge over the property, Friden Brickworks held by DSF Refractories & Minerals Limited.

Included in bank loans is an amount advanced of £333,333 (2024 - £533,333). This loan was issued under the Recovery Loan Scheme with an original amount advanced of £1,000,000 and with an interest rate of 3.86% above the base rate. Repayments were to be made in 60 equal monthly instalments commencing in May 2022.

Included in other loans is an amount advanced of £1,485,000 (2024 - £1,765,000). This loan was from Derbyshire County Council to finance the construction of a gas pipeline to the business' premises with an original amount advanced of £2,219,683 and with an interest rate of 3.06%. Repayments commenced in September 2020 and consist of quarterly instalments to March 2029, followed by a final repayment to clear the loan.

Included in other loans is an amount advanced of £132,857 (2024 - £nil). This loan was taken out in February 2025 from the University of Derby, from their Invest to Grow Fund. The initial amount advanced is £150,000 to be paid back in 36 monthly instalments with an interest rate of 7.85%.

Obligations under finance leases are secured against items of plant and machinery of the company.

The following are the major deferred tax liabilities and assets recognised by the company and movements thereon:

The timing differences between the accelerated capital allowances and the depreciation charge on the fixed assets is due to reverse at the earlier of the asset being disposed of or the end of it's useful life.

The revaluations provision is due to reverse at the earlier of the asset being disposed of or the end of its useful life.

The short term timing differences are expected to reverse within 12 months.

The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund.

Included within creditors is an amount of £114,878 (2024 - £99,798) owing in respect of defined contribution payments.

The company operates a defined benefit scheme. The scheme is now closed to new employees and future accrual. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the company in an independently administered fund. No other post retirement benefits are provided.

The most recent actuarial valuations of plan assets and the present value of the defined benefit obligation was carried out at 31 March 2020 and updated to 31 May 2025 by a qualified actuary, independent of the scheme's sponsoring employer. The major assumptions used by the actuary are shown below.

Assumed life expectations on retirement at age 65:

Amounts recognised in the profit and loss account

Amounts taken to other comprehensive income

The amounts included in the balance sheet arising from the company's obligations in respect of defined benefit plans are as follows:

At the year end date the defined benefit scheme was in a surplus position. The directors at that date did not consider the defined benefit scheme's surplus to be recoverable either through reduced contributions in the future or through refunds from the scheme. As a result no surplus has been recognised in the financial statements.

The defined benefit obligations arise from plans which are wholly or partly funded.

Movements in the fair value of plan assets

The actual return on plan assets was £49,000 (2024 - £62,000).

Fair value of plan assets at the reporting period end

The company has one class of ordinary shares which have the right to receive notice of, attend and participate at general meetings and vote on any resolutions.

The ordinary shares have the rights to participate in a distribution of dividend and a distribution of capital, including on winding up.

At the reporting end date the company had outstanding commitments for future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable operating leases, which fall due as follows:

Amounts contracted for but not provided in the financial statements:

The above relates to the purchase of a hydraulic press, a finance agreement is in place to fund the majority of the cost of the asset.

During the year the company entered into the following transactions with related parties:

The company has taken advantage of the exemption conferred by Section 33.1A of FRS102 not to disclose transactions with other wholly owned subsidiaries within the group as consolidated accounts are publicly available.

Interest is payable on the below loan at a rate per annum equal to the rate determined by section 181(1) of ITEPA.

DSF Refractories & Minerals Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of DSF (2003) Limited, which is its immediate parent undertaking. The registered office of DSF (2003) Limited is 50 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH3 9WJ.

The ultimate parent undertaking, and controlling party, is DSF High Performance Materials Limited. The registered office is Friden, Newhaven, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0DX.

DSF High Performance Materials Limited is both the largest and the smallest group into which the results of DSF Refractories & Minerals Limited are consolidated. Details of where copies of the financial statements can be obtained from can be found in note 1.1.